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I, too, have a sensitive horse.  It took 9 months to win his trust and
affection, but now he's a love.  During a period of time when our regular
horseshoer was unavailable, I called in a substitute.  This man was abrupt
and rough and had no patience for my horse.  The horse kicked at the man, as
he will do when frightened.   The man was planning to tie up a front leg and
I told him "No".  He left in a big huff (at me), saying it looked like he
and I weren't going to get along.  I agreed.  He said it was too bad it
didn't work out.  I agreed, happily.  He stormed out of the yard and I was
smiling.  Later our kind and gentle and superb horseshoer returned, talked
to and soothed my sensitive horse, and now this horse is one of the easiest
to shoe.  He was 7 years old when I bought him and he had never needed shoes
in the sandy area he grew up in.  Some horses respond to correction, some
respond to patience and kindness and softness.  Mine is of the latter
variety.  He is soooooo smart!  I have taught him to position himself for
opening and closing gates, and now he has learned to position himself
exactly so (and stand still) by a large block of wood so I can mount easier.
Each time I clip his bridle path, he acts like he is terrified, but he's
allowed it before so I know he can do it.  I just chide him for being silly
and keep talking until he quits dodging.  Every time he meets something that
scares him, I keep telling him, "You can do it.  You can do it."  And he
comes to believe it.  I love his intelligence and his ease of learning.

Barbara

----- Original Message -----
From: "Lysane Cree" <lysanec@xxxxxxxx>
To: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 7:35 AM
Subject: Re: [RC] Fear of vet


> Hi Laurie,
>
> I totally agree. Some horses are more sensitive and
> need extra time and patience. I always had a feeling
> she just needed to be given a chance because she's
> great with me, but getting the message across to
> others is not always so easy. But it seems that now
> the vet got the point that he has to take his time
> with her. Rushing her will get him nowhere and can be
> dangerous.
> I did make a mistake that day of *the incident* with
> the vet last year to put the chain under her chin. I
> have had to do a lot of work because of this - after
> that incident she was scared of just hearing the chain
> rattle through the halter rings. I always try to
> address any fear she has of whatever object or thing.
> Now she has improved 100% (horses can be so forgiving
> of our idiot moments) and will let me rattle the chain
> around through the halter rings and even place it
> under her chin and she will stand quietly unconcerned.
> Like anything its how you use it, and how gentle your
> hands are. Obviously a man jerking full force on that
> chain several times must have been excruciating.
> I want to take her to a couple of shows this summer
> and they require that the chain pass under the chin
> and be attached to the side of the halter. I have been
> working on her ground manners all along (without a
> chain) and she backs and steps to the side and stops
> very well. I am focusing on her working off my body
> language as well so that the lead stays very loose.
> Outside of these small training sessions, I never use
> a chain. I wouldn't even use it at a show if it wasn't
> required. She doesn't need it.
> I am sure my filly will require more vet visits before
> the vet can approach her without going through a whole
> process first. In a way, he has to work it out with
> her. The barn manager told me that when he first
> approached her yesterday, my filly freaked out,
> rearing up and jumping back. But he stayed close by
> and let her smell him before trying to touch her.
> After a few minutes she calmed down a little and he
> was able to touch her, although she was still tense
> and ready to jump. After a few more minutes of him
> petting her and her checking him out, he was able to
> give her the shot and then float her teeth. She only
> raised her head when the needle went in and that was
> it. Big difference.
>
> Lysane and Mae West
>
>
>
> From: "Laurie Durgin" <ladurgin@xxxxxxx>
>                       Subject: RE: [RC]   [RC] Horse
> with fear of vet
>
>
>                       My mare who is very sensitive
> and the kind you have to win trust with
>                       had a
>                       similiar occusrance right before
> I got her. The lady who raised her
>                       said the
>                       farrier she had come to trim
> smacked her with a tool when he did her.
>                       After
>                       that no one could touch her
> feet. (she remembers well). We had to do
>                       2-3
>                       months of desentisizing her in
> little bitty steps , and it still took
>                       years
>                       before she is "good" for the
> farrier. She is fine now, but she was real
>                       iffy
>                       for the first  year then you
> still have to be slow and careful and she
>                       didn't like  one hind foot
> picked up and held.
>                         She is fine now but it has
> taken years for her to be confortable.
>                       Same
>                       horse after my fall, was shaking
> the next time I started to dismount,
>                       had to
>                       do some calming down
> repetetions for both of us.
>                          Some horses you just can't
> "yank and beat', they are more
>                       complicated.
>                          FWIW, Lots of carrots (I call
> it carrot/clicker training w/out the
>                       clicker) help smooth things over
> quickly.
>                          The vet /your friends could
> do some approach and retreat with a
>                       "treat'.
>                       Then she won't associate
> 'strangers' with getting hurt. She is just
>                       afraid,
>                       and doesn't trust enough to feel
> others are going to take care of her
>                       better
>                       than she can herself.
>                          I would never use a chain on
> this horse. It causes pain, pain
>                       reinforces
>                       her fear, and she knows she is
> going to die, so she is trying to defend
>                       herself. I'd make her move her
> hindquarters away, but not with a chain
>                       biting into her face.
>                         Trust ,patience, firmness,
> breaking things in ittty bitty steps,
>                       'practicing' , helped my mare,
> she may never be a plug, but she has
>                       begun to
>                       think first and listen to me.
> Laurie
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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